Ode to Music Students.

Watch this video and see how the human brain just “gets” music. World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale from World Science Festival on Vimeo.

                                                             My students are familiar with the phrase, “the metronome is your friend!” It is a phrase I find myself repeating frequently. Usually the phrase is greeted with a moan or an eye roll or an “I know”. Despite this,I still repeat the phrase with the hope that eventually my students will realize yes, the metronome really is their…

Music has so much to offer. It can entertain us but it can also challenge our intellect, stretch our creativity and soothe our emotions. This summer I am discovering that it can also bring you closer to your roots. My hometown is  being highlighted in an outdoor theatrical production this summer. The St. Joseph historical…

I love to colour. The mindless rhythmic motion as you fill in the white spaces with a rainbow of hues is satisfying and calming. You know when you go to a restaurant and the wait staff gives your kids a page to colour and a handful of crayons to keep them busy while they wait for their meals? Well,…

A typical Saturday for me, as a child,  included a ride with my dad or grandfather  (or both) to a local hall with a trailer full of band equipment in tow. My brother and I would help unload the gear and proceed to ask my uncles (and adopted uncle) a bazillion questions. I am quite…

I was walking through a park one day with a friend, enjoying a beautiful day when our conversation was interrupted by  the sound of a revving engine and flying gravel. When we turned toward the parking area we noticed a gentlemen struggling to reverse out of his parking spot. His front tires had dug impressive…